International

UEFA Nations League format confirmed

12:50, Thursday, 21 September, 2017

UEFA has confirmed the final competition rules and regulations for the UEFA Nations League, less than a year before the first match is due to be played on 6 September 2018. The new logo for the tournament was also unveiled following Wednesday's UEFA Executive Committee meeting in Nyon. The UEFA Nations League is a new competition that aims to ensure the continued success of national team football by replacing most friendlies with competitive matches and by allowing all nations to play against equally ranked teams.

All 55 UEFA associations enter.

The teams are split into four leagues, A–B–C–D, according to their position in the UEFA National Team Coefficient Rankings following the end of the European Qualifiers for the 2018 FIFA World Cup (as per 11 October 2017; play-off results will not be included).

League A will consist of the 12 top-ranked teams. The next 12 teams will be in League B, the next 15 in League C and the remaining 16 in League D.

Leagues A and B will each comprise four groups of three teams.

League C will contain one group of three teams and three groups of four sides; League D will be formed by four groups of four teams.

All draw procedures to be confirmed. Matches to be played home and away between September and November 2018(teams will play four or six games depending on the size of their group).

The four group winners of League A will qualify for the UEFA Nations League Finals, to be held in June 2019, with two semi-finals, a third-place match and the final. One host country will be appointed by the UEFA Executive Committee in December 2018 from among the finalist teams.

The group winners in Leagues B, C and D will gain promotion and those who finish bottom of the groups in Leagues A, B and C will be relegated.

National teams will thus either be competing to become UEFA Nations League winners, or be fighting for promotion and to avoid relegation.

The League Phase Draw for the UEFA Nations League will take place at the SwissTech Convention Centre in Lausanne on 24 January 2018, when the new UEFA Nations League trophy will also be unveiled.